1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an air delivery unit for an endoscope, which delivers air into an organ, such as a stomach. In particular, the present invention relates to an arrangement of switches associated with a discharge of the air.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an air delivery unit for an endoscope, which delivers air into a body-cavity of a patient, is known. The air delivery unit comprises a compressor for compressing the air and a valve for regulating an amount of the discharge of the air, whereby the air in the unit is compressed by the compressor, and a puff of air is discharged by opening and shutting the valve. Discharged air is delivered into the organ via a video-scope or an optical fiber-scope, thus a condition of a diseased portion is confirmed.
In general, some switches, including a discharge switch for discharging the air and a compressing switch for compressing the air, are provided on a front surface of the air delivery unit. However, the arrangement of the switches is determined in accordance with the arrangement of the other structural elements provided on the front surface. Namely, the switches are not arranged for ease of operation by an operator. Therefore, the operator occasionally makes errors in operating the switches.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an air delivery unit for an endoscope, in which the switches are arranged for ease of operation by the operator. The air delivery unit for an endoscope comprises a discharge-mode switch, a pressure switch, a discharge switch, and an operation panel. In the air delivery unit, a closed-space is formed.
The discharge-mode switch sets a discharge-mode. The pressure switch sets a pressure in the closed-space. The discharge switch carries out a discharge of the air in the closed-space. Accordingly, the discharge-mode switch, the pressure switch and the discharge switch are aligned in operation order, on the operation panel.